Letter written May 27, 1918

Dear Mother-:

I haven’t written lately simply because of he fact that if possible I have been a little more busy of late than before. I told you about my new work, well, it continues as before pleasantly but with very, very long hours. A couple of days ago, tho, it slacked up slightly and out of the ensuing twenty-four hours I managed to sleep 16 without stopping. Now, tho, I feel like a new person and am ready to begin again with a vengeance. It certainly is more pleasant to live a little behind the lines and to go up to them for work than it is to stay there continuously and live sort of a subterranean existence, coming up only at night.

We have a house left by the inhabitants, a one-story affair with three bedrooms and two sitting rooms.The late tenants left most of their worldly goods, as from everything I can gather they went in rather a hurry. As a result we have quite splendid china service, decanters, furniture, beds, etc.. With this outfit and our three orderlies we keep house very comfortably and tho perhaps it wouldn’t quite come up to your standards, it all does very well. By long practice I have become quite adept at domestic affairs and when I get home I shall certainly have to get a position of steward or housekeeper or purveyor of wines or something of that sort. For the last month that I was with the battery I acted as mess officer and had a great time. I would go to market in the nearest town, buy supplies and plan meals therewith, engage and discharge cooks and hear complaints from seven lieutenants and two captains who ate nevertheless with enjoyment what the board afforded. This war is certainly a liberal education but I am beginning to think that it is very nearly time the course ended and I got my degree. I am a little disappointed in W. (an old friend in Auburn) that he isn’t doing something in this war. It wouldn’t take a great deal of effort on his part to get into it and we can never have enough Docs. Perhaps being in it so deeply myself I have lost sympathy with the way the outsider feels but I can’t see anything that anyone should do but put himself into it. It isn’t money we need, it isn’t to such a great extent material, but it is men quickly and in quantities. Tell Day (sister) I got her letter and thank her very much and tell Papa and Nannoo that I will write them the first chance I get. With love, Paul